My Female Cat Urinating Outside Litterbox UPDATE

Last week i started noticing that my bathmat was staying wet longer than usual after me showering. Yesterday, I noticed that it had a wet spot and realized that one of my cats peed on it. I took the mat out of the bathroom, washed it and did not put it back in there. Last night DH said, its Sushi (our first cat) since she had just peed on our kitchen mat. Nothing has changed (except I got a litter catcher mat for one of the litterboxes). I said I'd call the vet this morning. I just went to get a pair of jeans out of my laundry basket and they're wet She just peed all over my clean clothes I have an appointment with the vet tomorrow, but in the meantime I have her confined to the bathroom (the only place to confine her that is not carpeted). She is crying and my other cat is scratching the door from the otherside. Is this ok? I guess my mommy heart is breaking

UPDATE - 10/9

Well, I'd like to say I have good news. . .but this morning as I was putting our laundry away, it was wet We used an enzyme cleaner when we rewashed my clothes from the last time so that cant be it. DH has informed me that he DIDNT clean the laundry basket with the cleaner though so i am now hoping THAT is it. I have been cleaning the litter boxes twice a day. I have moved the new litter box mat to the other litterbox (which she doesnt use often) and am hoping that will do the trick. I have been watching her a lot closer these past few days and I am now leaning towards behavioral. Even though my other cat is not aggressive, he has been really been taking things over. So it looks teritorial to me. I hope I can correct this behavior soon. I love my little kitty girl and dont want her to be unhappy. Clearly she's letting me know she is upset I just dont know how to help her

Message edited 10/9/2010 8:05:36 PM.

Re: My Female Cat Urinating Outside Litterbox - have her confined to bathroom

We had an issue with out cat pooping in our den - his litterbox (that he used for several months without an issue) is in the basement. We knew it was a behavioral issue, so we locked him in the basement for two days, then let him come back upstairs. He pooped in the den again, so we locked him in the basement again. His food and water is down there, as are his toys and bed, so it's not like it was a real punishment. When we let him back up again, he was fine. All the advice I read said to confine them to the room where the litterbox is for a day or two and then gradually reintroduce them to the rest of the house.

Re: My Female Cat Urinating Outside Litterbox - have her confined to bathroom

Peeing and pooping outside the box can be two very different animals. I've never had a cat pee outside the box without some sort of medical issue -- either crystals or a UTI. I would never assume peeing outside the box is behavioral without a thorough vet exam first. (Same with pooping probably, but I've never encountered that problem. I wouldn't be AS worried about pooping outside the box.)

Did you tell the vet exactly why you were calling? I'm surprised they said to come tomorrow and not sometime today. I think it's fine confining the cat to one room, but be sure to check on her regularly. Watch her to make sure she is not straining to pee. Straining to pee is VERY bad and should be treated as an serious emergency. That's usually not a problem with female cats, but I would still watch her. I would bet she has a UTI. Keep an eye on her -- she if she is going into and out of the box frequently or peeing outside the box frequently. Make sure there is no blood in the urine. If she is straining to pee and/or little to no urine is coming out when she squats to pee, get her to the vet right away. Urinary blockage is much more common in male cats b/c their urethra is narrower -- but I would still watch any cat who starts peeing outside the box very closely.

Hopefully it is a minor UTI that will clear up with some medication. Hope she is better soon.

Re: My Female Cat Urinating Outside Litterbox - have her confined to bathroom

Re: My Female Cat Urinating Outside Litterbox - have her confined to bathroom

I hope she feels better soon.

Re: My Female Cat Urinating Outside Litterbox - have her confined to bathroom

I think for now it's fine, you don't plan on keeping her there forever.

I did have a problem with my cat once that she urinated/pooped outside of the litter box - we had purcahsed that litterbox that automatically "moves" the arm over and cleans the clumps into a container. The moving littlerbox freaked her out and she wouldn't go in it at all. She also doesn't like clumping cat littler either.

Re: My Female Cat Urinating Outside Litterbox - have her confined to bathroom

This is so unlike her. Even when we got the new cat and he would trap her in the litter box, she would still use it. We have had Miso for nearly 8 months now, so I do not think its that (and they have begun to get a long better -- not friends but better). I am almost hoping it is a UTI because if it is not, I dont know what I'm going to do. She is my little "girl" and she is clearly not happy.

Jeeeez....I have her on one side of the bathroom door crying and Miso meowing LOUDLY on the the other

Re: My Female Cat Urinating Outside Litterbox - have her confined to bathroom

Re: My Female Cat Urinating Outside Litterbox - have her confined to bathroom

How's your kitty doing?

Re: My Female Cat Urinating Outside Litterbox - have her confined to bathroom

Re: My Female Cat Urinating Outside Litterbox - have her confined to bathroom

Poor kitty! I hope it's a UTI that is easily cleared up! Good luck with the drops. My cat is on pills right now. So far, he's been really good about them... I'm hoping that continues!

Re: My Female Cat Urinating Outside Litterbox - have her confined to bathroom

I hope you get good results from the vet today and that your kitty is taking her drops like a champ.

Re: My Female Cat Urinating Outside Litterbox - have her confined to bathroom

Spoke to the vet today and she said she did not see any crystals but she believes that it is an inflamation of the bladder. So, she wants me to keep Sushi in the bathroom until Friday and then see how she is. Boy, someone should have given me lessons on how to administer drops to my pretty little kitty....it was somewhat of a battle this morning doing it alone! Vet said to keep her on the antibiotics for 7 days...fingers crossed that she will be back to her old, princess self in no time!

Thanks Kara for checking in on her

Re: My Female Cat Urinating Outside Litterbox - have her confined to bathroom

AWE i hope kitty gets better. Yea its a very odd thing to have a female cat go outside of their box. I am right with you on administrating drops/shots/pills did that for Stubby for two months and it WAS HELL!

Re: My Female Cat Urinating Outside Litterbox - have her confined to bathroom

Glad it doesn't appear to be anything serious, but sorry Sushi is on lockdown for the rest of the week!

When giving the drops, try wrapping her in a towel first. She'll feel more secure, but she'll also be less able to wriggle and fight you on it. I've found this to work when I've had to administer eye meds in the past, too.

Good luck and I hope the antibiotics do the trick!

Re: My Female Cat Urinating Outside Litterbox - have her confined to bathroom

Hey - i just saw this... I've been having the same problem with my female cat for a few month now, INCLUDING that she peed in the laundry basket on my clean laundry!!!!! Oh and she peed on my printer...

Anyway, she had meds for a UTI, still peed. Had meds for an inflammation of the bladder, still peed. No crystals. She hasn't peed outside the box in a couple of weeks (that i know of at least ) but we've kept EVERYTHING off the floor. The only thing I can think of is that its behavioral. She's 16, and doesn't particularly care for the other cats in the house.

What was the outcome with your kitty?

Re: My Female Cat Urinating Outside Litterbox - have her confined to bathroom

Update in original post